Key container



N. E. OLSON KEY CONTAINER June 7, 1949.

Filed July 9, 1945 INVENTOR. NORMAN E. OLSON A TTOR/VE Y Patented June 7, 1949 KEY- CONTAINER Norman-Es Olson, -SanqDicgo, iCaIif.

ram fication July '-9, 194 Serial"No. '603,"7-65 rMyinvention re'latesto key containers,particudarlyitransparent pocket receptacles for thecar- :Iiagesandauseloftkeys, and its objects are 'to fur- .rnisheaimeansrfor nesting a set of keysand for (permitting theiprojection or' extrusion therefrom oof sthe-ibladesmf .tsaid set: and the selection of'the zbladeirequiredior use; to'provide a transparent .zkey'zcontainer .of aattractive .iappearance through zxof us ng :SHELPfbllttOllS or zippers and to avoid cfumblingcforfikeys ;*to permit the containerreadily itoi'beiassembled or. disassembled as/occasionmay -require :=and :to allow ready repairs *and replacetorrents, and. generally to simplify and renderm'ore reflective ithe operation of the several parts. {@therl objects 2 will appear from the drawing: and

ias hereinafter set-forth and described.

lM yvinventionwprima-rily consists in the'provi- :s'ion ofeakeycontainerhaving-an elastic. or resilientzcasingnofsufficient rigidity to: preserve. and hold its shape and being provided with an ejector donning air-septumand-closure end ofsaid casing ;;andzbeing hingedly mountedwithin and upon the 'wallmthereofiand serving to turn outwardly-and ent-rude the blades of the-keys pivotally nested in ;s-aid .container.

Myinvention= alsofconsists in constructing the walls; of -;sa-id'container of glass: transparent plas- :tiQrOlyOthfi! suitable transparentrnaterial through 1 which-'may'be observed-at all timestheposition -andnatureaof ;.the l:cys carried in said container, wand in :so shaping and contouring said container "9 tto i'give thezsametan artistic and attractive appearance.

My invention:- further consists in other improvepments, novel features 1 of construction, combinastionand arrangements-oi parts, illustrated in the drawing and more particularly hereinafter de- Attention is hereby directed to the drawing, illustrating a preferred form and modification of arm invention inwhich similar numerals ofdesignation-refertorsiniilar parts throughout the several views; and:in-.which iFigureslsistapla-n view of a preferred'forni'of .myinvention showing a casingwith: a transparent Wall-vthrough which'maybe observed the-ejector "set nested inmormal position withinqsaid casing, ftthe blade of: athe remaining key being shownout (of said'rcasing and in extended position;

:lFigJQiis a :plan View 'of' the transparent conr'taineriiliustrateddn Fig. =1, 'feXQQpl', 1 that all 1 the rbladesof the-' set 'of keys are shown in the process Of iwbeing-wextruded ?fr0m' the :casing through the ioperation of :theej-ector closure septum;

3:is .=at:p1-an View: of the transparentrcasing 10"Is'hown7in Fig. l mith'i'the'set'of keys and ejector :closure'zseptum'zremoved therefrom,x and showing warious :openingssstops :an'd recesses therein the rqmrposecofiwhichrwilli hereinafter? be explaine'd;

Fig-.24 iszaz'planiview of the ejector closure sep- :;itum, showingltthe saxne' removed from thetranstparentrcasing sEig. :5zisrsan-iend zviswfiofithe rejector closure-sep- :tumsshownsin -Fig. :4::looking at thesame'fro m the heft;

:rFig. 6 xi'sizanrendwiewwf cthe casing shown in Fig. 3;

(Fig. a lts; aiplanc-view of .aa-zmodification :of my improved they containenushowinga transparent ceasingvwithztwosstsaofrkeysrandf two ej ector -clo- 5 surerssejctavthorfnr closedi-position, and

s8 is a ptanrview:of thercontainer shown in rliigw'l; with the bladeaof ones keyiprojected there- ;frommnti therloladeiofzanotherikey infithe "process zofrbeing extrudedif rom said container.

130 Referring-.tot-the :drawingiFigs. 1 110362 Within -the;ho llowd9 of'e'th-e :casing i'tl), formed :of two ispaced splatesz t hand :I 2 :disposed imparallel relai tion'andioonnected:by- -arbridge I3,- I installia key or: setzofiv keys; M :th'e saidrkey' or set of keys being ;pivota11y connected-withinrand .to the Walls .at

theifrontrend ofisaid casingrby the screw orzbolt disen aging ewith: passageways I 6 cin said. walls and; passing through the usual ropenings in "the :base ofa-saidfrkeys. '-;At:;the rear sandzopposite end 40 v -portion off-said: oasmgprandiwithimthe walls. thereof is located the ejector closure septum lilghingiedly-tconnectedtorsaidvwallsl byezthe' pin I 9 :extendin-g .tth'rough an jzopeningfin said septum :and throughgopenings l8.;in2saidawalls:provided-thereshaped to conformpwith the contour: of the-edge ;of the adj0ining .Walls,-&at thismortion of said :casj ing and torfill thefspacettherebetween; and serves when; in the nClOSGd position :rshown :in Fig. l :to

ract as raj closure fQIzSliGhfEDOI-tiOIlDf the casing,

v .closureseptum and allbutone-ofthe keys of the 17116 jupperiendrpr slobe .Mrof :saidrseptum with a.

rod, the extended ends of which form catch buttons 23, which effect releasable engagement with cup shaped depresssions 24 in the adjoining inner walls of the casing, the said walls being sufiiciently resilient to allow such engagement. As shown in Fig. 1, the said lower end 28 of the septum I1 is made of sufiicient length and of such shape as to make ready contact. when turned upwardly upon the pin IS, with the lower edges of the blades of the keys [4 to raise such blades out of the casing ill so that their ends may be grasped and selection made therefrom of the key desired for use. If desired, stops 25 may be affixed to the inner walls of said casing to limit the turning movement of the septum l1, and also a cut out 28 may be provided for admission of a thumb or finger nail to contact the upper end 272 of the ejector closure septum l1 and to raise the same to extrude the blades of the keys M.

In Figs. '7 and 8, I have shown a modification of the key container shown in Figs. 1 to 6, to accommodate two sets of keys, the casing 21 of this modification being somewhat enlarged for the purpose, and two ejector closure septa 2B and 29 of special construction being provided for the extrusion of the blades of the keys. Also two bridges 30 and 3| for connecting the spaced plates of the casing 2! are shown instead of a single bridge as shown in the other structure; the said bridges acting also as stops for said septa. To ensure compactness, the inner ends of said septa 28 and 29 are located so as to be seated one against the other, when in the normal position shown in Fig. '7; but otherwise said septa are hingedly mounted upon the walls of the casing 21, acting to eject the blades of the keys, are provided with releasable contacts, serve as closures and also as a means for retrieving the blades to the inside of the case, and are similar to and operate the same as my other key container.

In both these preferable forms of my improved key container, as illustrated in the drawing, I have shown all parts thereof as transparent except the screws or bolts l5, and for such parts I ing a non-collapsible covering of some elasticity 7 resiliency but being of suificient rigidity to preserve and hold the shape of the container. However, while such transparency is desirable for the full exercise of my invention, nevertheless a very wide range of opaque materials otherwise suitable might be employed in the construction of my improved key container and excellent results secured; and therefore except as limited in the appended claims, I do not desire the scope of my invention to be limited solely to the use of transparent parts.

The two types of containers shown in the drawing complement each other, and when used in conjunction, one with the other, will serve to hold and carry all the keys which the ordinary person would find it necessary to carry. The single set type would hold the keys for the car, and the double set would hold the keys for the house, garage, safe deposit box, padlocks and the like. These containers are easily opened or closed, and there is no fumbling for the right key; the selection of keys being rendered easy and rapid. There are no snap buttons or zippers that require both hands to operate as is the case with a leather container. Also my containers are of durable materials and will hold their shape indefinitely, and they are not harmed by grease or water or mildew or other destructive agents that affect leather.

My invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment, as above set forth, is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of my invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the above description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A key container, comprising two transparent spaced plates connected and maintained in parallel relation by a bridge aflixed thereto and conforming to the adjacent edges thereof, means for pivotally securing a key or keys to and between said plates at one end portion thereof, and a U-shaped ejector septum pivotally connected to and extending between said plates at the opposite end portion thereof and normally acting to seat its lower lobe upon said bridge and substantially to close the space between said plates, but at the same time being operable to project the blades of said keys out of and to return said blades to the space between said plates.

2. A key container, comprising two transparent spaced plates connected and maintained in parallel relation by a bridge aflixed thereto, the outer edge of said bridge extending to and conforming with the adjacent outer edges of said plates, means for pivotally securing a key or keys to and between said plates at one end portion thereof, and a U-shaped septum pivotally connected to and extending between said plates at the opposite end portion thereof and operable to project or retract the blades of said keys and with said bridge normally serving upon said projection or retraction substantially to close the space between said plates, and said bridge having an inclined seat within said space shaped to receive, and upon which normally rests, the lower lobe of said septum.

3. A key container, comprising two transparent plates connected and maintained in parallel relation by a bridge afiixed thereto, the outer edge of said bridge extending to and conforming with the adjacent edges of said plates, and the inner walls of said plates having cup shaped depressions therein clear of said bridge, means for pivotally securing a key or keys to and between said plates at one end portion thereof, and a U-shaped septum pivotally connected to and extending between said plates at the opposite end portion thereof and operable to project or retract the blades of said keys and with said bridge normally serving upon said projection or retraction substantially to close the space between said plates, and catch buttons afiixed to the upper lobe of said septum and situated to make releasable engagement with said cup shaped depressions.

4. A key container, comprising two transparent spaced plates connected and maintained in parallel relation by a bridge afiixed thereto, the outer edge of said bridge extending to and conforming with the adjacent outer edges of said plates, and the inner walls of said plates having cup shaped depressions therein clear of said 7 bridge, means for pivotally securing a key or keys to and between said plates at one end portion thereof, and a U-shaped septum pivotally connected to and extending between said plates at the opposite end portion thereof and operable to project or retract the blades of said keys and with said bridge normally serving upon said projection or retraction substantially to close the space between said plates, catch buttons afiixed to the upper lobe of said septum and situated to make releasable engagement with said cup shaped depressions, and said bridge having an inclined seat Within said space shaped to receive and upon which normally rests the lower lobe of said septum.

NORMAN E. OLSON.

REFERENCES ormn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

